by Casi McLean
Collins harrumphed.
The captain raised a brow. “I’m required to stop at the first available airport to perform necessary repairs. The good news is we’re only about an hour and a half from Tangier, Morocco.”
Jutting his jaw forward, Collins stiffened. “That was not my destination. I’m on a time schedule and we’re already late.”
His brows narrowed. “Look, Collins, I realize your ‘uncharted stop’ was Sania Ramel Airport in Tétouan, but your last-minute request was risky at best. I certainly don’t need to draw attention to my flight plans.” He shifted in his seat. “The nosedive malfunction gives me a valid reason for stopping in Tangier, which is roughly an hour and twenty-minute drive from Tétouan.” He glanced at his watch. “If you contact them now, your men could be there before we land.” The captain returned his attention to his instrument panel and replaced his earphones. “You’re welcome. Let yourself out. I have a plane to fly.”
Collins stood and exited the cockpit. Strolling toward his seat, he nodded and dug his phone from his pocket, mumbling to himself. “He has a point. That nosedive provided the perfect alibi to move our merchandise.” He smiled then lowered his gaze and pressed in some numbers.
The grin on that man’s face sent slivers of what felt like hot glass slicing through Alyssa’s stomach. His last-minute stop had to involve Harper. But what business did he have in Libya? Damn. Her questions mounted. Drifting toward the cargo pit, Alyssa thought about how Collins fit into her past. Why did his presence send a creepy crawly sensation all over her? The details of her murder remained blurred lost among faint memories and unrealized dreams. But she knew to sever the web he’d spun, she would have to exterminate the threat.
Chapter Twenty-Four
Harper shoved the crate top until it gave way then hoisted herself over the edge and rolled onto the top of another container. Standing, she glanced around the cargo area to get her bearings before climbing down to check on the children. One box at a time, she peeked into each hole, hoping to catch a glimpse of their chests moving slowly up and down. She prayed each child was still breathing. What kind of drug would cause them to sleep so deeply for this long? She shuddered at the thought.
Considering her options, she strode through the crate maze, searching for anything that might spark an escape idea. How long had she been aboard the aircraft? How many hours did she have before the plane landed in Libya? And then what? Unthinkable scenarios crept into her thoughts. She had to find a way to free them, but until the drugs wore off, they couldn’t enact any plan Harper devised.
The cargo doors opened upward. Could she attach parachutes to the crates then slide them off the plane? Possibly. Especially with Alyssa’s help. But opening the door would alert the crew…and even if she and Alyssa managed to shove the crates out of the aircraft before the men stopped the escape, once the containers hit the water, they’d sink. Damn. On the other hand, if she freed them first…Harper scanned the room for a lifeboat, parachutes, and vests. Alyssa, where are you? For any of Harper’s ideas to work, she needed Alyssa to play an integral part in the rescue.
“Did you miss me?” Alyssa materialized beside Harper. “I’ve got some good news.”
“Thank God. I’m running out of ideas.”
Glancing at the boxes holding the kids, Alyssa shook her head. “I’m worried about them. How could they go through all the commotion we’ve had with no sign of waking?” She faded then stepped through each box. “They’re still out cold.”
“But they’re okay, right?” Harper gazed toward their crates. “I tried to check on them but couldn’t see much through those holes.”
“As far as I can tell, they’re okay, just in a deep sleep.” She shrugged.
“So, what’s your good news?” Harper leaned against a crate.
“Apparently, my escapade caused a malfunction in the intake valve, which allows the airplane to take in and pressurize air. I’m not sure of the technical details, but now, the pilot needs to keep the flight below a certain altitude so everyone can breathe.” She raised her eyebrows. “The good news is the flight is landing in Tangier, Morocco in about an hour to make repairs.”
Harper’s spirits lifted. “That means we have a chance to deplane in friendly territory. Morocco and the United States have been allies for centuries. If we can wake up the kids, we have a chance to escape in a free country.” She turned toward Alyssa. “By the way, what caused you to throw those containers around?”
“When I saw the American’s ring, an uncontrollable anger burst inside.”
“Wait, what ring.” Harper’s pulse kicked up a notch.
“The ring etched into my neck.” She lifted her stringy dark hair to reveal the crisscrossed scar. “The man who killed me wore that ring.”
Harper widened her eyes and a flush of heat burned her cheeks. “That’s The Association’s insignia.” The mention of The Association ring flashed a memory. Damien wore the same damn ring when he threatened her and Sarah. He said the ring had a secret compartment that held a deadly gas. At the time, she thought he was full of shit, but nervous about the auction, she hadn’t connected the ring to Alyssa’s murder. The plot now thickened. “That means the American is an Association elite. Do you have any idea who he is?”
Alyssa stared expressionless. “The copilot called him Collins. I know I’ve seen him before, so he has to be someone on Capitol Hill. I just can’t remember.”
Harper stared at the floor. “Collins…Collins?” She snapped toward Alyssa. “You don’t think he could be John Collins, could he?”
“Yes. Yes. That’s who he is. John Collins, the Secretary of State.”
“Holy Hell.” Again, Harper gazed at the boxes holding the children. “Collins may still be the sitting Secretary of State, but not for long. We have a new president and in January on Inauguration Day, Collins will be replaced.” She gazed at Alyssa. “What a great cover he’s had, though. As Secretary of State, he can fly anywhere in the world on taxpayer money and move in-and-out with no questions asked.”
“He must have an epic ego. He acts like he’s omnipotent.” Alyssa rubbed the scar on her neck. “I realize Collins didn’t literally squeeze the life from me, but that ring tells me he knew what went down and maybe even initiated the hit.”
“That could play to our advantage.” Harper spun, again searching for ideas as she scanned the cargo pit. “If he feels above the law, he’ll make mistakes and I’ll be there to nail him––assuming I make it out of this situation alive.”
“Wait a minute.” Alyssa’s image flickered then began to glow. “As Collins left the cockpit, after the captain informed him of the stop in Morocco, he mumbled to himself. At the time, I didn’t pay much attention, but I did hear him say…and I quote: ‘The perfect alibi to move our assets.’ I think he was talking about you and the children.”
Harper’s heart pounded. She pushed away from the container she’d been leaning against. “That makes sense. If the plane is forced to land and make repairs, offloading a few crates would be easy. But if the buyer was in Libya, how could that benefit Collins?”
Alyssa tightened her lips. “We don’t know Libya was your final destination. We only know that is the flight destination. In fact, I think Collins planned to stop in Morocco from the get-go. The pilot told Collins the malfunction gave him a valid reason for his ‘uncharted stop’ in Tangier.”
Harper laced her fingers then pressed them against her chin as she theorized the situation. Could Collin’s have planned to stop in Morocco all along? And if so, was Tangier his final destination or just a stop to change directions. God, how Harper wished she could bounce these ideas off Wyatt. She hoped he knew what happened to her after all hell broke loose. Regardless, he’d be hot on her trail after Kara told him about her GPS injection. Had he devised a plan of rescue? Of course. She had no doubt he’d come after her. But he had no clue eleven kids needed rescuing, too.
“Are you okay, Harper?” Alyssa swooshed front and c
enter then stared from only inches away.
Harper chuckled. “Yes. I’m good. I’m just wondering how we can get the kids out of here and back to their parents.”
“Don’t worry. With Wyatt, Emily, and me helping you…not to mention the entire New Patriots team, we’ll come up with something.” She spun upward, whished around the room then lowered herself in front of Harper. “We’ve got this.”
Harper rubbed the back of her neck. “Do you know something I don’t? If so, please spit it out.”
“You and those kids will be offloaded in Morocco. That’s a good thing, Harper.”
The landing gear screeched as the wheels lowered.
Harper stared at Alyssa. “You’re right. We’re about to land…and once we’re off the plane, the chances of our rescue increase drastically.” For the first time since they loaded her into that crate, she felt a sense of calm embrace her and her training took hold. “Alyssa, I need you to stick close to Collins. Can you do that?”
“Yes. But I can’t promise I won’t cause him pain whenever I can.”
“Don’t do that. At least not yet. Just listen to every word he says. I need you to find out where he’s taking me, and those kids. It might not be the same place so pay close attention. When you know, come tell me and we’ll create a plan.”
Alyssa nodded, faded translucent then thrust herself toward the cabin.
Nailing the traffickers would have to wait. Helping the kids escape came first. Harper prayed Wyatt would find them in Morocco but for the time being, she was on her own.
Chapter Twenty-Five
Dear God, please keep Harper safe. Wyatt drew in a long breath, held it for several seconds, then blew it out. Her plane didn’t go down. He wasn’t sure how, but his gut told him Harper was still alive. “Rhodes. Any ideas what could cause a flight signal to vanish?”
“The most obvious situation would be an explosion, like if the plane was shot down. But as close as the Falcon is, the instruments would have picked up on that possibility. A blip might be lost––at least temporarily––if the flight suddenly dropped altitude. Strange events happen to airplanes more frequently than you might think.”
“Wyatt, somethings wrong. Really wrong.” Emily’s voice trembled as she broke into his conversation.
“Em, are you all right?” His stomach twisted into knots. “What’s going on?”
“I’m fine, but I’m not so sure Harper is. I’ve been trying to connect with Alyssa, but she hasn’t responded. I’ve got an eerie feeling something bad happened. Ever since that day in Savannah, Alyssa answers me almost immediately. Are you still tailing Harper?”
“Not exactly.” His shoulders tightened. “We’ve been shadowing her flight for hours now, but a few minutes ago her GPS signal vanished from the radar screen. The pilot is scanning the area for any other flight, but nothing so far.” With a thumb, he spun his ring around his finger. “How long has Alyssa been AWOL?”
“I’m not sure. She contacted me when she found Harper. Then again when she discovered an American was on the flight. She thought he looked vaguely familiar, but she couldn’t recall where she’d seen him before.”
“Hmm, and that’s the last time you heard from her?”
“Yes. She said she needed to tell Harper and she’d connect with me later. That was over an hour ago. I’ve been mentally focused on her for the last fifteen minutes. Something’s wrong, Wyatt, Alyssa wouldn’t just ignore me. Harper must be in trouble or hurt.”
If the plane went down, Alyssa would have told Emily. It’s not like Lyssa would have died in the crash. The fact she hasn’t reached out could be a good sign. If Harper was in danger, Alyssa would take whatever action she could and fill us in afterward.
“Wyatt. Did I lose you?”
“No. I’m here. I was just mentally evaluating the situation.” With a thumb, he spun his ring. “Harper might be in danger, but if Alyssa knows that, don’t you think she’d use every bit of her energy helping Harper?”
Emily drew in an audible breath. “I’m sure she would, and when she exhausts her energy, it’s hard to communicate.”
“Right. And didn’t you tell me Alyssa had difficulty with the concept of time in her…uh…realm?”
“Uh huh. When she finally showed up at the restaurant in Savannah, she had no idea months had passed.”
“And you know if she couldn’t help Harper, she’d let you know immediately, right?” Trying to calm Emily, Wyatt found some hope in his own rationalization.
“Definitely. If you’re right, then Harpers in danger and––”
“Slow down, Em. Harper has been in danger since she let Damien lure her into his van. She knew the risk.” Again, he assessed the situation. “We know Alyssa is with her and will let us know what’s happening as soon as she can.”
“Thanks, Wyatt. You’re always my rock.”
How long had it been since he felt like he was of use to anyone, let alone their rock? He loved knowing Emily felt that way. “We’ll be landing in Tripoli in about two hours. I’ll know more then. In the meantime, let me know if Alyssa contacts you.”
“I will. Thanks, Wyatt. Be safe. I love you.”
“I love you, too, kiddo. And if I find out anything more about Harper, I’ll let you know.”
“Thanks.”
He slid into the bench seat next to Parker. “I guess you picked up on a good bit of that conversation.”
“Yup.” Parker placed a hand on Wyatt’s shoulder and gently squeezed. “You’re a great brother.”
“Em’s the only sister I have left and––”
“I wasn’t talking about Emily, bro.” He released his grip.
Unsure of what Parker was talking about, Wyatt leaned forward. “Did I miss something?”
“Don’t you realize what an inspiration you are to all your Marine brothers?” Parker didn’t wait for an answer. “Semper fi.” He stood and picked up his laptop then sat across from Wyatt. “While you were busy, I took the liberty of drafting a game plan. Once we land in Libya, we’ll” ––he opened the laptop, spun the device to share the screen––“need a plan. This is a live satellite view of the airport in Tripoli and the surrounding area.” Parker pointed out some options and they discussed details for a potential game plan.
§
Alyssa grimaced as Collins revealed his hand. Your Game of Thrones is about to go up in smoke, you bastard…I can’t wait to blindside you.”
“Yes. We’re in our final approach.” Collins settled into his seat and fastened the seatbelt. “I don’t care. Find a way. I want those K loaders ready and waiting the moment the cargo hatch opens and the trucks standing by as close as possible to the runway.” He pressed End then tucked his phone into his coat pocket.
“Is everything okay?” Tareq gazed out the window as the flight touched down.
“It damn-well better be.” He poked Tareq with a pointed finger. “Since Hamza’s injury prevents him from completing the delivery, I’ll be riding with you to Tétouan.
“Yes, sir.”
“When we arrive at Sania Ramel Airport, we’ll make the exchange as originally planned. Once I see the money has been deposited in the Cayman Island account, we return to Tangier, board the MFI Pharmaceuticals 757 then continue the meds drop to Tripoli as if nothing happened. Understood?”
Again, Tareq nodded.
Drifting above Collins, Alyssa paused to make sure he had nothing more to say then darted toward the cargo area. She descended beside Harper and materialized as the plane slowed to a taxi. “I love it when a plan comes together.”
Harper smiled. “I guess you confirmed Collins will be unloading us in Morocco.”
“Even better.” Alyssa nodded. “He ordered someone to have cargo loaders waiting. Once you’re offloaded, they’ll transfer you to a truck headed for Sania Ramel Airport in Tétouan, Morocco.”
Eyes wide, Harper sat straight and scooted against the back of her container. “Thank God. That’s the best news I’ve hear
d since this whole nightmare began.” She leaned forward and hugged Alyssa. “Thank you.”
“Even better, since one of his henchmen was injured, Collins has to get his hands dirty and help the other goon deliver the crates––all of them––to Tétouan. That means I have at least an hour to help you and the kids.”
“Perfect.” As the aircraft slowed to a stop, Harper peeked through a hole and stared at the cargo door lifting. She envisioned various scenarios then turned toward Alyssa and whispered. “There’s bound to be a remote area along the route. For us to escape, we’ll need to stop the truck. Can you create a diversion…maybe cause a breakdown?”
Alyssa nodded. “I was hoping you’d ask. Creating chaos appears to be my specialty.”
A sudden jolt rocked the plane as the cargo loader scraped through the door. Harper’s pulse raced, shooting a shiver down her back. As much as she loved the idea of Alyssa’s help, she couldn’t shake an eerie sense of impending doom. Had she actually placed her entire future––and the lives of eleven children––in the hands of an unpredictable ghost?
Chapter Twenty-Six
One-by-one, Alyssa drifted into every crate, wrapping her arms around each child until all eleven children and Harper were safely stacked on the cargo bed. Sitting atop the truck, she watched and listened to the banter between Collins and Tareq. Her anger simmered as she witnessed the henchman kowtow to the sanctimonious ass like a slave to his master.
If Emily had been there, she would have––oh my gosh, Emily. How long had it been since Alyssa updated Emily? Squeezing her eyes shut, she focused on her twin. “Em, can you hear me?”
“Thank God. Alyssa. You went silent for hours. I was so worried something awful happened.”
“Sorry, sis. Time doesn’t exist in my dimension. I only function in the moment.”
“Right. Wyatt reminded me, but I was still worried. Is Harper okay?”
“For now. Everything just happened so fast. Once I recognized John Collins, the plane plunged toward the ocean and I had to save the kids.”
